Taxable Unit MARRIAGE PENALTIES AND BONUSES

How should couples be taxed? We might like a tax system to satisfy three principles: o Progressivity o Across-Family Horizontal Equity o Across-Marriage Horizontal Equity (Marriage Neutrality) It is impossible to achieve all three goals at once. The Problem of the “Marriage Tax”

Any tax system that tries to achieve horizontal equity and progressivity have a marriage tax for some people. o Marriage tax: A rise in the joint tax burden on two individuals from becoming married. Progressivity, with taxes applied to individual income, means that two couples with different earnings distributions have different tax burdens. Taxing family incomes leads to a marriage tax. The Problem of the “Marriage Tax”

Tax Rates 10% on income up to $20,000 20% on income up to $80,000 30% on income over $80,000

The Problem of the “Marriage Tax” Individual Income Individual Tax Family Tax with Individual Filing Total Family Income Tax with Total Family Income Michelle$140,000$32,000 33,000$150,000$35,000 Barack10,0001,000 Bill75,00013,000 26,000$150,000$35,000 Hilary75,00013,000

20% Proportional Tax (No Graduated Rates) Individual Income Individual Tax Family Tax with Individual Filing Total Family Income Tax with Total Family Income Michelle$140,000$28,000 30,000$150,000$30,000 Barack10,0002,000 Bill75,00015,000 30,000$150,000$30,000 Hilary75,00015,000

Very large deductions for married couples relative to single tax filers would eliminate marriage tax. But no set of deductions can make the system of family-based taxation marriage neutral. Marriage Taxes in the United States o Some families face marriage subsidies and some face marriage taxes. o Some families pay marriage taxes. Marriage Taxes in Practice

The United States is almost alone in having a tax system based on family income. Of the industrialized nations in the OECD, o 19 tax husbands and wives individually… o …five (France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Switzerland) offer marriage subsidies to virtually all couples through family taxation with income splitting. Marriage Taxes around the World